1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fittings for connecting tubes, pipes, and/or solid rods together. Moreover, when the tubes or pipes are utilized for transmitting fluids, e.g., liquids or gases, the fittings provide sufficient sealing to prevent leakage of the fluid.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Prior designs allow for one directional alignment at a point of contact between the fitting and the mating part. If it were necessary or desired to connect, via a tube, pipe, or rod, two objects having connector mounts that are offset from each other, i.e., not positioned in a straight line, some bending of the tube, pipe, or rod would be required in order to provide proper alignment for connecting the tube, pipe, or rod with the connector mounts. Thus, if not properly aligned, stress (tension) arises within the connected objects and/or parts, i.e., either a pushing or pulling force occurs between the objects and/or parts being connected.
Moreover, as engineering variances and tolerances make it impossible to produce two tubes, pipes, or rods that are exactly alike, such production is likewise impossible when producing large volumes of parts. Even with the standard tolerances given in the manufacturing process, stresses arise when connections are made. These variables can be exhibited as wall thickness variation, material hardness, diameter variation, and length of part variation, and can add to the amount of stress created in the connection. As the two parts being connected are most likely intended to be stationary, all flexibility in the area of the connection must come in the tube, pipe, or rod fittings.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,384 to Krenz shows a clamp for spherical joints in which a ball and socket joint is held in place by a clamping nut. As shown in FIG. 1, upper tube 5 can pivot relative to lower tube 7, and lower tube 7 includes a flange 9 to contact a flange 12 of cup 10. This arrangement, while allowing pivoting movement, does not provide support for the tubes in the region of the pivoting movement.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,299 to Yamaga shows a piping connection device in which a ball and socket arrangement is provided between a gas inlet pipe and a gas outlet pipe. The ball and socket arrangement is clamped together by plates. As with the above-described patent to Krenz, the clamp of Yamaga does not provide support for the gas pipes in the pivoting region.
A pipeline ball and socket swiveling coupling is disclosed by Aaron, III in U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,781. In this patent, the ball structure is welded to the end of a pipe 11 to be clamped inside of a correspondingly shaped housing for pivoting. Once again, the housing of Aaron, III does not provide support for the pivoting pipe, which could result in the failure of the weld, and, therefore, the entire coupling.
Chen, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,014, shows a universally rotatable nipple for a brake cable. In this patent, a brake cable is guided through a first tube, a ball and socket coupling, and a second tube, such that, when the brake cable is pulled, pivoting between the first and second tubes occurs. It is noted that maintaining a seal or supporting the tubes is not a concern in Chen.